Gran Canaria - Aqua Parks

My personal opinion, Aqualand is the best for adults and children alike, enough attractions here to keep everyone busy all day long, it's huge, go there! The bus service is daily from the main bus stop in Puerto Rico. The final destination is Palmitos Park so that's what the sign will say on the front of the bus, the number 70 service. Departure times from Puerto Rico are 09:45 10:00 10:45 11:45 12:45 with buses returning at 13:30 15:30 18:00. The fare is around €2 per person one way. Alternatively, a taxi will get you there or back for around €15.00.

Take flip-flops or something to protect your feet from the heat of the ground, also a towel and sun-cream and that's all you should need. You'll be leaving your belongings unattended for a large part of the day and although there are lockers for valuables such as a camera or camcorder, it's not very convenient having to go back there too often.

The park boasts 90,000 m square of space, 13 attractions having a total of 33 slides, 5,300m square of swimming pools with the wave machine going every hour. They have their own man-made "lazy river" where you can float around the complex on an inflatable tyre. There are several attractions and slides for the smaller kids, restaurants, snack bars and cafés and a souvenir shop. You'll find ample parking if you're going there in a hire car and parking's free of charge. Lockers I mentioned and there are changing rooms, toilets and extensive garden areas too. Sun beds are 2 euros for the day with parasols when you rent a bed. There's also an 18 hole, mini golf course costing 4 euros a go. Here's some photos and here's their official website.

Oceana - Maspalomas

Would you like to know why there are two aqua parks within about a mile of each other? Well, so do I. I guess the people at Aqualand thought they could build something better, which they did. Saying that though there are enough of the same style attractions to keep both adults and kids busy for the day.
The slides aren't quite as long or steep, the pools aren't quite as big and I missed the "lazy river". I counted 8 attractions but a lot less slides and the park itself is perhaps 30% smaller than Aqua Sur. I'm sorry to the people at Ocean Aqua Park but if I were you, I'd go to Aqualand. The only plus that Ocean has is being serviced by the number 32 bus from Puerto Rico so there's a service every 20 minutes each way.

Puerto Rico Aqua Park

(Look out for discount tickets around the resort, places like bureau de change or the info booth in the main commercial center). Puerto Rico has its very own aqua park! Located a couple of hundred yards or so behind the main, Commercial shopping centre it's on the outskirts of the resort. The thrills here are as good, if not better, than Maspalomas. Of the 6 main attractions here I'm sure they have the longest and fastest of slides of all the aqua parks and all it lacks is the "lazy river" of Aqua Sur. Again you have a restaurant and similar facilities found in Maspalomas, so why bother going there? People say "The food at the park is exceptionally cheap!!. A tray of chips costs just 60cents, and a hot dog €1.00. Again, it's not worth packing sandwiches etc it's so reasonable"

Note - with all aqua parks, closing time is strict/punctual, due to safety and life guards no longer being on duty, everyone is asked to leave at the dedicated closing hour

July 2004 - There's currently a lot of work going on at the Aqua park in Puerto Rico. If you're holidaying in the resort and really don't want to go anywhere else, it's still a great day out but if you can be bothered with the bus at all, until it's all finished (don't know when) I' head for Aqualand in Masapalomas. The entrance price is now similar to the other parks too, a HUGE increase as it used to be €10 per adult!